EMMAS SILVER LINING IN SINGAPORE SPRINT
AOC, August 18: Australian swimmers have repeated their solid efforts from the opening two nights clinching a silver medal through Emma McKeon in the 100m freestyle and pushing several others through to finals.
McKeon took silver in a personal best time of 55.37 seconds, behind China's Tang Yi who won the gold in a lightning-quick time of 54.46 secs which would have won the Australian Open Championship this year - ranking her 10th in the world for 2010.
"I'm really happy with that, I went a little bit faster than my PB so I'm very happy with a silver medal," McKeon said.
"I knew she [Tang Yi] was going to go out fast and I just tried to stay with her. She swam really well - it was a very good race."
The men's 4 x100m freestyle relay team finished its final in fourth after earlier qualifying fastest for the event.
Kenneth To's opening split of 50.22 secs had the Australians in front going into the first change, with Max Ackermann holding off strong advances from the Chinese, Russian and South African teams.
Ackemann, with a split of 52.56, handed over to 100m breaststroke winner Nicholas Schafer who stayed in the middle of the pack for his leg, clocking a split of 52.38 to keep the Australians within striking distance, trailing the powerful Russians by two lengths.
Last to hit the water was Justin James who bought the team home with a slick 50.35 for a combined time of 3.25.51 and fourth place.
The eventual winners were the Russians, over the Chinese in second and South Africans in third.
Having swum a similar time in the heat, Ackermann said the team had been working for a faster time.
"That wasn't too bad, it was very close to what we swam this morning and we were happy with that time," he said.
Schafer said his team had tried not to put pressure on themselves before the race.
"We had no expectations coming into this," Schafer said
"We were just hoping to swim a good time and make the most of it which I think we did."
Earlier in the evening, Emily Selig's 100m breaststroke semi-final produced some quick times, but none were quicker than Selig who won in a time of 1.09.84.
In a copy of her heat, Selig started strongly coming out of the water in front. She then worked hard over the last 50 to hold the lead and control the entire race. Canadian Rachel Nichol continued her strong form, qualifying fastest with a time of 1.09.22. Selig goes into the final as the second fastest qualifier.
To again qualified for a final - this time second fastest in the 50m freestyle, with a time of 22.70 seconds.
To swam considerably faster than the morning session which placed him second coming into the semis and finished Tuesday night's race half a body length in front.
He will need to be quick to beat the Ukrainian swimmer Andrill Govorov who swam a blistering 22.27 secs in his semi final.
Ackermann qualified sixth fastest for the 50m backstroke final in a time of 26.63 seconds. Ackermann finished fourth in his heat, having started well he managed to fight off a charge from the tail end of the pack.
Despite a tough fight over the last 30m, Zoe Johnson missed the final of the 50m butterfly finishing her heat in seventh with a time of 28.43 secs. Johnson looked strong over the first 50m but could not hold off the rest of the field coming home.
Press Release issued by AOCElliot Woods